Seminar “Perspectives of inclusion”
A seminar titled “Perspectives of inclusion” was organized at the Business Incubator premises. The seminar was led by experts in the field of inclusion and labor integration from the organization IDEAS, with support from the project team.
The seminar was attended by representatives from the City Administration of Kruševac, the organization ASB (Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund), the Initiative for Development and Cooperation (IDC), as well as representatives from cities and key stakeholders in the field of social protection from the cities of Novi Pazar, Pirot, and Dimitrovgrad, where the project is also being implemented.
Topics covered in the seminar:
Social protection services in Serbia – an overview of the current state of the social protection system in Serbia.
Comparative analysis of social protection services provided by institutions and organizations.
The seminar addressed the importance of developing social protection services in Serbia, providing an overview of the current situation, an integrative approach to service provision, building partnerships, and defining/formalizing roles to support people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups in the inclusion process. This seminar represents a step towards strengthening cooperation between relevant stakeholders to improve conditions and perspectives for vulnerable groups and promote an inclusive society.
Reintegrate II
Reintegrate II primarily focuses on the returnee population and locally vulnerable residents. It is implemented through organizing business training and counseling, providing equipment for starting businesses, professional educational training (requalification and additional qualification), developing cooperation with companies to create new jobs for project beneficiaries, and offering psychosocial support through counseling and workshops for children, youth, and other residents.
Training and capacity building for local social protection actors are planned, as well as grants for partnership projects within local governments and civil society organizations. The key goal of the project is to contribute to the sustainable (re)integration of returnees and locally vulnerable populations in central and southern Serbia.
More than 500 returnees and local vulnerable residents will benefit from the capacities created through the project (professional skills, newly opened or expanded businesses, new jobs in existing companies, psychosocial skills, improved social services) to strengthen their economic and social positions and enhance their integration into communities.
The Good Neighbor Club Kruševac has been opened, and more than 220 inclusive workshops are planned, many of which have already been realized, along with support for starting businesses and companies. The project activities are scheduled to be completed by April 30, 2025. The total project value is €240,360.00.
The project is led by the German organization ASB (Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund), with the Initiative for Development and Cooperation (IDC) from Belgrade as the implementing partner. The beneficiary districts of the project are Pirot, Rasina, and Raška. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by the City Administration of Kruševac.